Why?
by WilderCapall
Summary: Why did Kyo have to leave them all alone? Why had he abandoned his companions? Akira’s methods of finding out are starting to scare his friends. One-shot, no pairings.


I'm on an SDK fanfiction spree. I apologize deeply to those who are waiting patiently for my other stories…I have writer's block. I open those files and it's like Hotaru trying to read Hishigi's notes. It simply doesn't work.

Also, does anyone find it weird that Hotaru decided to be a pirate? And be _surrounded by water_ for months at a time?

**Summary:** Why did Kyo have to leave them all alone? Why had he abandoned his companions? Akira's methods of finding out are starting to scare his friends. One-shot, no pairings.

**Disclaimer:** AlukaKaiserin does not, regrettably, own Samurai Deeper Kyo or any of the characters therein. They belong to Akimine Kamijyo.

**Why?**

"Akira, what the fuck did you do?" Hotaru almost yelled.

The kid didn't answer; he merely sat there, clasping his knees to his chest, blood coursing silently down his face from ruined eyes.

"There's nothing worth seeing if I can't fight at Kyo's side anymore. I'll get stronger this way." His words were clipped and filled with pain. "And then I'll find Kyo, and find out why he left."

_Kyo, why _did_ you leave us…?_ Hotaru wondered. _Did you have any idea what it was going to do to Akira…?_

Akira had not spoken for two weeks after Kyo's departure. And now this…Akari wouldn't be able to heal this; Akira wouldn't have let her even if she could. And now Akira wanted to _leave_, on his own…

Hotaru shook his head, trying to understand. Akira had been that kid who didn't know how to kill before meeting Kyo; and the one who had more survival instinct branded into him than even Hotaru himself. And somehow he failed to understand that walking literally blind after the deadliest man they knew--a man who didn't want to be found--was suicide.

"Kid, you can't do this," Bontenmaru said concernedly, placing a rough hand on Akira's thin shoulder. Akira swatted him away like a fly.

"I can. I already have. What are _you_ going to do, lead me around like a child? I can find my own way, and I'll get stronger. Strong enough to beat him…strong enough to make him answer me…" Akira was starting to sound delirious from the pain—not only the physical pain in his eyes, but the pain of loss that had only gotten worsein the weeks since Kyo had abandoned them.

After a few more minutes of muttered nonsense, he passed out and collapsed, still appearing to cry bloody tears.

Akari looked slightly horrified, though she did not approach Akira's prone form. Bontenmaru looked at the little body with sympathy in his expression and picked him up, almost cradling the still boy as he carried him back to their camp. Hotaru stayed behind. He didn't want to see whatever Akari was planning to do about Akira; didn't want to see the ruins of the kid's once-bright eyes.

Though he certainly did not understand Akira's _methods_, he understood wanting to be stronger—and he understood wondering why Kyo had left.

To become stronger alone; that was Hotaru's assumption, but somehow it did not satisfy him. He wanted Kyo to come back, too. They weren't the Shiseiten without him; they were four incredibly mismatched freaks without anyone to hold them together. And now Akira was falling apart, Akari was losing interest in them all, and Hotaru knew of only one place he could go back to once they split.

Why was everything so complicated? Sure, it had been simple at first—oh look, a random army, let's slaughter it—but then Kyo started making Hotaru _think_. Think about real things—not just battle strategy, which Hotaru was actually rather adept at—but what the hell these feelings were and why he was laughing so much.

But of course, that was all gone now; no more Kyo, no more confusion, right?

Of course not.

Hotaru walked slowly toward camp, hoping Akari was done with whatever she was going to do for Akira. He might as well stay with them until he found something better to do; going back to the Goyosei was his last resort.

_Why, Kyo?_ he wondered as he pictured Akira just a two weeks ago–laughing, eyes shining with delight.

**End**

Well that was kind of weird…and sad…volume 32, though it contains one of the most incredible fights of the entire series, is rather sad. Little Akira sitting there with blood all over his face is somewhere between scary and just like I want to hug him and make him feel better. This would, of course, result in my death, but still.


End file.
